UPDATE:

The comment period is over.

The design is in prototype testing.

We have picked a winner of the Bosch miter saw.

Man, are you one lucky guy.

Tune in Friday, December 10 at 4:30 pm for a sneak peek, with senior editor Justin Fink, at the prototype (see the video above). We will also announce the winner of the Bosch gliding compound miter saw at that time live on FHB TV (right here on this blog post).

—————————————————————————————————————–

We’re on a mission to build the perfect miter saw stand; and the mission begins with you.

There’s no shortage of collapsible, portable jobsite miter saw stands on the market. Some are cost-effective ($100-$200) and functional, but fall short on refined the features and adjustability needed for more demanding tasks.

Three Ways To Join In

You have a few options for contributing to the discussion, each has it’s own pros and cons:

Article Comments

It is no wonder this is the winner as this saw stand looks really current and up to date. I think in general having a mobile work table with storage is all it takes to make a craftsman’s daily task less of a hassle than the entire process already is. The work desk can be moved around for convenience and to better facilitate the worker should he needs to incorporate with other processes at other areas of the workshop.

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I'm also looking for the plans of the final table, after making a submission, and have contacted Tauton direct. Their CS rep couldn't answer my question, nor did he know anything about it. Strange!! I then called Justin Fink who led the contest and am awaiting a return call.

Dreamcatcher,
I hear what you're saying, and it was definitely on the table for discussion. In the end, there's just no such thing as "ultimate" because each person will want/use different things.

For our stand, I felt the fence provided good utility when cutting crown in the nested position (a method I, personally, feel is better), as well as a provision for repetitive stops for both miters and butt stock.

Hopefully our stand will give people some ideas, and we will also offer suggestions on how to make it work for specific needs/wants.

I see that the FHB "Ultimate Miter Saw Stand" (FHBUMSS) will have a fence extension built into the saw stand. I believe you should rethink this.

After speaking with Jesper Cook, the creator of the "Trim Carpenter's Workbench" on the cover of 'The Journal of Light Construction' this month, I have concluded that I don't really like that my stand tries to incorporate a fence system.

The fence actually makes the work LESS accurate if/when the workpiece has a bow that may push away from the fence - or - if the fence gets warped for any reason.

Then after Mr. Cook sent me a Sketchup model of his saw stand, I saw what could be possible without the fence extensions on either side of the saw well.. a workbench.

You see, a saw stand with fences can only be a saw stand. Without the fences, it has many more uses.

I also like how Mr. Cook's stand also integrates a simple router table into the stand and how the stand uses optional, modular extension stands. The whole set-up may be used as a saw stand, a router table, a general workbench, a door hanger's mortising bench, a rail saw cut table, a sanding bench, and a planing bench (among a myriad of other uses).

Now that I have Mr. Cook's Sketchup model, I intend to merge his ideas with my own to create a true "Ultimate Miter Saw Stand". I'll post my progress in the photo gallery soon:

After building the thing if I change out saws I have to readjust the most critical factor, the saw height as related to the table. Give me a semipermanent adjustable height for the mitersaw itself. As long as I have a correct level box on either side of the saw I can rig the rest of the fancy dodads with hardly any effort. The saw and the box quickly adjustable for different saws brings me the greatest amount of use and confidence. Much easier to allow the saw height to be adjusted than to reset the boxes on either side.

This is what a stand needs to be: Lite, durable, functional and reasonably priced

Lite: Made of aircraft aluminum with 1 button collapsing and opening like a baby stroller.

Durable: welded joint construction like a track bike

functional: Large airless tires on the back (bottom) if in "hand truck" mode so an errant nail doesn't give you a flat, and slightly smaller lockable front steering tires when in "horse" mode. you should be able to push it against the back of your truck and have it collapse and slide like an ambulance gerny. There should be an integrated flip-up dry-erase story pole on the collapsable out feed arms. There should be quick release locking pins on all movable parts and it should have a screw hole pattern that universally fits most Miter saws.

What would be great would be a very accurate but simple depth stop to eliminate the need to measure and mark each board. It might be nice to have a digital depth stop that could be zeroed out similar to a large digital caliper readout.

I don't care for rollers and would prefer a thin, narrow support with a rear stop to keep the stock straight.

Construction should be lightweight aluminum extrusions with legs that could be removed when using sawhorses.

Currently, I don't have a saw stand. I just build up support blocks out of scrap lumber to the height of my saw table, so almost any saw stand would be a major improvement. Portability would probably be the most important feature for me. I like the idea of having 8 feet of support on both sides of the saw, but the whole package would have to fold/slide together small enough to leave room in a small truck for nail guns, shop vac, and everything else needed on a job site. An adjustable support (maybe in T tracks)for holding crown moulding at the correct angle would also be high on my list. Weight is only an issue if I can't lift the stand into the truck. I would rather have something sturdy and well-made. Unfortunately, I can't share what I do/don't like about any particular stand, except to say that not having one can be a drag sometimes.

Mr. Bentpipe, methinks you have not contemplated a "ladder", so you make joke. Ha ha. My reference to a "ladder" means that it is light, extendable, strong, wide enough to support work pieces and saw system, and collapsible. My colour choice, of course would be Dewalt yellow.

A "ladder" eh? Here is a winning comment for you... regardless, of all the bells and whistles, the outer casing should come in five powder-coated color options (including pink). Let's not forget aesthetics here. Can you imagine a color coordinated job site where the tools and workers looked just as good as the products they were putting out? Too legit!

I have a De Walt stand I use with a 12" sliding Compound saw. The system works well but ciuld use a couple of improvements.
1 A means of having a tempory support on the end of the main frame to support the centersection of a piece of stock when longer sections are cut. Roller on legs that snaps into the bed.
2 Rubber feet that do not fall off
3 A fine adjustment on the stop so the length of cut can be tweeked without unlocking the extended tube.

The most important thing for me would be to have even and uniform support a full 8' on one side. I don't mean just a support down at the end, but support across those full 8' to ensure that the board can't sag in the middle. I don't want to have to clamp the board down right near the blade to ensure I get a square cut.

Now that I have read all the comments, I think the ladder idea is good. How about an 8 foot long "ladder" with 8 foot slide out extensions for each side. Add a B&D workhorse type system to allow complete height adjustability for 2x4 legs. Now get an Incra system type fence, possibly telescoping to allow precise length cutting with repeatability, able to handle lengths of up to 10 feet on each side of the saw, maybe more...Large pneumatic tires to fold down to make it easy to move setup. Add some built in type clamping systems for versatility. Rails from Eurekazone system to be table pieces to support work, be "extendable" and allow more clamps and "devices" to be utilized. The ladder extensions might need a fold down, adjustable support to support long heavy workpieces. While we're at it how about an after market miter, and also a bevel scale in the Incra style to retrofit on my Dewalt sliding compound miter saw for greater accuracy. I suppose after all this you could say I want the top designers from Dewalt, Eurekazone,Featherlite,Incra, Black and Decker, TracRac, and Veritas. If they used my basic parameters, Im sure they would come up with the ultimate miter saw setup system, maybe two or three different sizes...Hows that for a wish list?!! Dream on as the evolution continues...

My miter saw stand is a Black and Decker workhorse with a ten foot long I joist as the table. A half inch piece of ply is bolted to the Dewalt sliding compound miter saw, so I place it on the bench and clamp it with a couple of clamps. A block of wood sits on the bench to support the workpiece. This set-up is excellent to level the bench on rough ground to a comfortable height. I can cut small pieces to large, long pieces quite easily. I realize that I need a fence with a stop to cut any length or repeat cuts. I did make a fence with a Uni-strut extrusion, but it was heavy and inconvenient to move. Once I used a workmate to support the saw, and a B&D workhorse on each side with ten foot I joists mounted. Set a few feet away, I was supporting and cutting twenty foot long 2 x 12's each end with ease. Versatile system but I need to add the refinements - the most important being a heavy duty fence system. The I joist bench is so handy for holding other tools, workpieces and even makes a good spot to sit at breaktime. Best thing is that it allows a versatile and accurate saw to be used to greater potential, cutting framing lumber, I joists, long pieces of stock trim, firewood, and so on. The evolution continues...

I'm a finish carpenter, and I currently own two very different stands, with three different saws depending on what I'm doing. If I am looking for accuracy, I use my SAWHELPER stand. The pros:Very stable set-up, accuracy, and a built-in length stop and built-in tape measure. Cons:The nice rigid aluminum extension wings can easily marr the material that you are working with, and aluminum discolors your hands when you are working with it so you have to be mindful of this or before you know it you will be leaving finger prints on your work, and Ms. Jone's ceiling (if you are doing crown).
If I want quick set-up and portability, I use a Trac Rac stand. The pros:This is a great stand if you are not doing particularly long moldings, quick to set up and take down, and sufficient for installing hardwood flooring. Additional saw mounting brackets can be purchased to make it easy to change saws quickly. The cons: the material is not supported it's entire length; far from it. This can be an annoyance unless you have super hero reflexes to grab that frequent piece of material that falls off of the stand just as you cut through it.
A person could find pros and cons in anything, and there is more than one way to skin a cat. In my opinion the ultimate miter saw stand would be one that incorporated options depending on what the user's needs are.(Option A,B,C). A stationary shop stand is not going to have the same requirements as a framer/siding installer, or a finish carpenter. For a framer the stand needs to be very sturdy/stable, with large capacity. A finish carpenter needs accuracy and portability with long capacity. A stand for a shop might want to incorporate a place for storage, whereas storage in a portable stand is going to add to the weight, and after a long day that stand is really going to be heavy.
As a finish carpenter, I want the stand to have long, solid capacity, eight feet on each side of the saw by about ten to twelve inches deep with adjustable/removable fences. The extensions would be a solid surface, I like wood (yeah it's a little heavy, but...)and the surface would be smooth and durable. I might even make opening for an insert plate(s) for a belt sander/jig saw/router to get more functionality out of the extensions. A built-in power strip on the underside of one of the extensions is a good idea (mounting underneath protects from possible water or sawdust intrusion). I don't think built-in stops and built-in tape measures are absolutely necessary. A clamp and a block work fine for me, and if you use the stand for more than one type of saw, the bulilt-in tape accuracy will go out the window. Built-in crown stops, and a place/clipboard to mount a cut list at eye level would be a nice touch.
Again, different uses require different necessities.
I am planning to build this stand between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when my schedule lightens-up.
Have a good one guys!

This is perfect timing. My shop is complete and ready for a miter saw stand. Here are the features I would look for in a dedicated saw station.

1) Design for festool Kapex or the new bosch so it is close to wall
2) Like it to be cantilevered so floor can be cleaned or used for other items
3) Not a big table, just extensions on each side for support, as a table is likely to get used for storage
4) Extensions should have scale (for measurement) and stop (for multiple, same lenght cuts). I am not sure if a accurate usable scale can be implemented but at least if it is adjustable then it can be recalibrated (moved left/right) when a blade is changed or for other reason requiring a re-calibration.
5) Storage for items used at miter saw; marking tools and saw tools
6) Connection to a dust collector

I may think of other things but an easy to build station with these basic features would work for me.

My ultimate framing setup is the Bosch gravity rise stand with two portable roller supports or a pair of Trojan saw horses with the clamp on roller supports. When I need to do finishing work I remove the vertical supports from the Bosch stand extensions and attach my 8ft saw helper extensions to each side of the miter saw.The whole package is very easy to move, can be setup on uneven ground and I have accuracy and repetitive cuts when I need it. The only thing missing from this setup is the new Bosch miter saw which I am hoping will be arriving from Fine Homebuilding soon!
Given the versatility of this setup the cost was well worth it, and I didn't have to spend a lot of my precious time building a custom stand.
Cheers,
Suartini

What I like about my miter saw stand is that it's long enough to support 2x4s and the fences are accurate. Also I like that it's very heavy and stable. No movement when I saw. It's 4' long and 23" wide and 40" high. Perfect for me. Now, what I don't like is that it takes up a lot of room in my small shop. My shop is a one car garage and I park the car in it at night. Also, I regret not having my stand on casters. I have to yank it out to cut long pieces because the band saw is in the way on one side and the clamp rack is in the way on the other side.

I use a 12 inch DeWalt Miter saw and DeWalt's stand. To the stand I have added two additional lumber supports/stops so that one can live at the end of the extension and the other on the body on each side-great for casing and other applications with short and long pieces.

That said I need to build a cart with wings for my saw-a place for the compressor to live and caddies for all the guns and bits and such. When doing trim in a commercial setting (condos, medical office buildings, etc) there is a lot of moving around.

To get in and out of elevators, doors and all it should be while collapsed about 2'x3' maybe a touch longer and perhaps a bit narrower. Outfeed tables like the rigid flip top can be used for really long pieces but I think with wings it should be able to handle an 8' stick on either side.

For portability my ultimate miter stand needs to collapse. It will likely be built from two boxes with holes on top and those easy glide pads on their bottoms to allign them up; the bottom being a dolly with wheels big enough to roll over baloney cords. It should also have a high amp power strip mounted and one or two goose neck lamps.

I use a Ridgid stand, one of the previous versions from the current. The best thing about it are the wheels. They are LARGE. I hate tool boxes and most other "portable" gizmos that put on dinky wheels. Never, except in a home shop, is the ground smooth, level, or easy to access. It never fails that the work requires I haul this stuff up stairs.

The wheels MUST be large enough to make it easier to navigate such gauntlets, especially when you have a big 12" saw mounted on the assembly. My Ridgid does that for me.

I've been using a Dewalt miter saw with the stand of the same brand name. It's okay, but 'okay' isn't good enough when pressed for time, accuracy and convenience.
When I first laid eyes on that Bosch one with all the nice features, including the rolling stand, it was the answer to all the problems I encounter when trying to finish a job within the estimated time-line.

I'd sure love to win this baby in this draw, but rest assured, if I don't, I'll definitely be buying one.

This is my first entry to Fine Home Building and I must say I'm quite humbled by the knowledge and detail with which many of you write. I'm writing not of experience or knowledge, but the lack thereof. I've been doing home renovations on our house from the day I moved in. Each job taking approximately double the length of time I expected... I take pleasure in using the best materials and tools I can afford / find and hope that it compensates for when I have to cut something 2-3 times and it's still too short!
This summer was my first experience with installing trim. I borrowed a Makita LS1013 from a friend. Being fairly familiar with a variety of power tools, I thought I would be up and running within a couple of minutes, only to find after 10 minutes - still struggling to find the release slide button, which happens to be a twist lock feature in the handle.
The question at hand however, is commenting on the best mitre saw table. Well, all I can say is that anything would have been better than what I was using! I began using my double compound mitre saw on the sidewalk. By the end of the first day my back was quite sore from bending over so much. Day Two, my mitre saw table was a folding patio table, 3' long and creative arrangement of a 5 gal. pail some pieces of wood and a piece of drywall to level up to the table of the saw. By Day Five, I was starting to get better...
May my entry be a momment of comic relief to the dedicated and skilled professionals out there.
I have a lot of work left to do, both upstairs and downstairs. I would very much like to get my hands on such a mitre saw as the one being offered in this draw - and so I write.

I’ve been asked by the Homebuilding staff to serve as a sort of “organizer” for the tremendous ideas that all of you have offered on Breaktime and the Blog. There’s been a fair amount of commonality, but the most striking theme of the comments so far is the individuality of each person’s needs for a miter saw stand: Some want light and portable, others want a multi-task workstation, and so on. It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all miter stand runs the risk of not pleasing anyone.
So, some questions. One person suggested a modular approach, with a basic stand and more tailored options (e.g., framing or finish work). What do you think? And what about materials? Most of us are comfortable with wood, less so with metal. Would the advantages of metal (weight, rigidity) outweigh the difficulty of building a stand with it? And no one, I think, has mentioned cost. Do you have a top end for a stand you’d build yourself?
Don’t feel constrained by these questions. Take off in any direction you’d like. I’ve enjoyed reading your comments. Please keep ‘em coming.
Andy

I currently have a Rigid portable mitre saw stand. I like the ease of set up and take down along with the oversized wheels means I can take it up or down stairs without assistance. Cons are weight and the outriggers slipping under weight causing work to be unlevel.

My miter saw stand is based on the design in FW #209 p52-57. Portability is essential in my basement shop not only to put the saw where I need it but to clean around and behind it when I am done. Although I do not have the Bosch miter saw in the article, I sized the stand to hold it when I upgrade from my Makita. (Luckily, this new one will fit as well). Dust collection is an important feature that is missing. Miter saws have dust collection/vacuum ports but dust does not always go where the designer intended it to. I am planning a dust hood addition to my stand to help contain the stray dust that does not go where it should. I also chose laminated wings for easy cleaning. Left over counter top pieces from my old kitchen made this and easy addition. I have the vacuum enclosed under the saw for noise control and an easily reachable power strip to turn on the vacuum. The fold down and expandable wings are handy as are the hold downs and stops for safety and accuracy. All in all this was a nice addition to the previous situation of fixing the saw in one part of the shop. Now I can move it wherever I need it and tuck it away when I am done.

My saw stand work good for the most part. It hold the material in place. Easy to adjust for longer trim material. Large wheels for rough terrain and up and stairs.
The problems are when stored on it's end it must rest on the end of the aluminum saw fence. It is cumbersome one person to load and unload in the back of my truck.

It needs to be easy and quick enough to set up to actually use. The stand I have now is simple to set up and results in me reaching for that for a quick nice cut where as in the past I would have gotten out my circular saw and propped whatever I was working on on the case. It also needs to be light enough to move around but heavy enough to be sturdy. The easier and simpler the stand is the more you will use your miter saw.

I have had both stationary and portable miter-stands and have appreciated both in the right situation. For the one in my shop I love the accuracy and the ease of use with it's Kreg stops etc. The portable I like for that reason it was portable had big wheels etc. What I've always wanted was the best of both worlds and I think I may have figured it out.

I currently use a universal tool stand that I built myself and many of you may have heard of. It's 6' long with a section in the middle for my Mitersaw. I have a fence I can attach to the top and can do multiple setups with the stand which is all cabinets underneath. What I'd like to do since that is a bit low for Miterwork (I like it a little higher that counter height for ease of seeing the cut marks etc.) What I thought of doing was taking that setup for my shop and adding Norm's folding miter stand as an attachment for the top. Then I have the portability of taking the setup with me to the job and the reliability of having it stationary in the shop.

I've been using DeWalt's 12" slider and stand for about 6 years. They are bulletproof and hold up well to hard use.
With regard to the stand:

- The extension arms are neither long enough to provide proper support to 16' trim boards, nor strong enough to support treated 2x boards, 6x6, etc. In other words the stand does not support the work the saw was built to perform.

- The adjustable stops each have three tiny knobs to make vertical and lengthwise adjustments (in most cases the stops are fixed to the end of the arms and length adjustments are made by moving the arm, but they can also be positioned on the extruded body of the stand). Ideally there should be no need to adjust vertically as there would be no appreciable sag in the arms. If it is provided, it should be quick and absolute, with something like a one-handed cam-operated clamp.

-The supporting surface of the stops should always be parallel to the saw's table, and the flip up stops should always be perpendicular to the fence.

-All threaded fasteners should be stainless to allow for reliable operation (we work in the rain sometimes).

-The flip up/down feature for the stops is great.

-Fold up/down legs are great, and the handle on the underside of the body makes it much easier to carry. And speaking of carrying, I'm too old to carry heavy anymore, so either make it very light in weight, or the best way is for it to have wheels. Wheels should be capable of rolling over construction debris and up stairs. Air-inflated always work best because they are more resilient and will roll over debris more easily. The biggest joke on our jobs is the tool (Shop-Vac) with wheels that won't roll over its own power cord - what a waste.

-The body of the stand allows the saw to be positioned anywhere on its length when using DeWalt's saw base. This is very helpful when working in tight spaces as it allows the saw to be repositioned to make a cut with the needed support or to get the wood to clear something or someone without having to move the whole stand.

-Knobs and levers should be easily operated by someone wearing gloves in cold weather, and with reduced hand strength. Not many craftsmen are 20 years old.

-A length-of-cut control system similar to Incra's tablesaw fence would be priceless - accurate and repeatable. Flip down a lever, slide the arm to the required length, flip up the lever to lock the arm, and cut. Not everyone on the job reads a tape the same way, and many don't intuitively know what 13/16 is, or worse yet, when I say give me 13 + 1/32, I'm never sure what I'll get. Add to that some guys will cut your line if you mark it for them, and some will leave it. For me it's about accuracy and control. This system would be the ultimate solution.

I currently have my Rigid 12" sliding compound miter saw set up on my bench. I built the bench so that the table of the saw is lower than the bench top but the fence is in line with the bench face. I use 1/2" black iron pipe set into holes in the bench face to support 2x6s on either side so I can support very long pieces.

Pros: It's simple and supports very long pieces. I can use the saw even if the bench is cluttered.

Cons: The saw is mounted quite far forward...but the Rigid requires a lot of space behind it. I can use the saw even if the bench is cluttered.

I built my former miter saw stand stand (for my Makita 10" sliding compound miter saw) from a 2x10 with legs that fit on it like a police barricade (the triangular leg units slipped up the 2x10 and between 2 short 2x4s screwed to the 2x10. The saw was mounted to a support that slipped down over the top of the 2x10. Short 2x4s extending vertically above the 2x10 but below the level of the miter saw table were screwed to the 2x10 and 2x4s were dropped into the slot that it made to support long stock. Spacers between the vertical 2x4s aligned the support with the table.

Pros: Simple and used the basic carpentry skills I had at the time. Relatively inexpensive. Portable. Supported very long pieces.

Cons: Not terribly accurate and subject to warping with changes in the weather. Heavy and had 6 individual pieces to move.

Love that new saw.we have a dewalt saw&stand.I like how far the side extentions go out but they are far from level with the saw. its also wobbly.I dont think they put much in to the design.should have a fisher-price sticker on it

I have a PortAMate PM7000 miter stand. I primarily use it
for furniture making and some construction. What really bugs
me about it is that the flip-up stops are so flimsy that a
slight difference in pressure on the stop can change the
board length by 1/8". That may be ok in some construction,
but not mine. So I only use them as supports, not as
length stops.

Also, I don't use the vise attachment or light attachment,
but the power strip has been useful.

These comments are fantastic. As for me it's simple: I need a stand that is portable and light weight. For those of us without a permanent shop, these are critical. A secondary need for me is stability. Since the stand won't always be on perfectly level ground, the ability to adjust legs and keep it STABLE is critical to me.

Not having a shop has made me appreciate specific requirements like portability, accessibility and taking up as little of the valuable floor space as possible. My current stand is an upright gravity stand with a standard miter saw with limited bells and whistles.

You were right the new saw looks very appealing but is it a one man saw. Perhaps I should quantify that as a normal one man saw.. As I am not Paul Bunyon I need a stand the can be moved around in tight corners and if the need arise be loaded into the back of a truck by myself and a lovely wife. And most of all be raised and positioned without back strains.

Certainly the number of required pull ups, pull outs and extensions needs to be limited but they also should not shake, shimmy or force me utilize a hand for other than a controlled cut.

It should not have sharp corners of little widgets that get caught on my clothes or twist my fingers, tear at my forearms or just plain make my day a bad one.

The rollers and extension slides need to be made so that the Florida weather will not rust them causing me much down time when I go to roll this baby out...Also if your going to put numbers or markings on the stand make them readable and non peeling.

For any adjustments requiring the unloosening or tightening of handles, twist nuts and or other various methods of securing they should be quick and not require a lot of wrist bending or body contorting

The assembly needs a good finish to limit the clean up and when you build it please let me know I may want one....

I have a 7 year old DeWalt stand with a 10" DeWalt miter saw on it. First off I hate the 10"...too small to cut lots of materials (i.e. 2x8 without flipping it.) Second, the miter stand did not have a proper set of holes to mount the saw and needed a new set drilled just to mount the saw. Strange since they are both DeWalt,,,also I have had both the handles brake that adjust the extension rollers causing me to use vice grips just to extend or retract the arms...The handles are made of poor aluminum casting... The good news is that the stand is quick and easy to fold and rolls on uneven surfaces well (like rocks). Wider tires would be better for sand and soft ground..wide feet would also be nice to avoid the stand sinking in the ground during the course of the day.....

2 2x4s on 2 saw horses with shop made extension supports are fine for fixed location, not portable at all. so have a tendency to leave it set up & in the way lot n my shop! It is stable however. Need built in measuring device, and light weight, flip stops, built in extension cord with outlets would b nice.

I have an older (approx 12 years old) Dewalt stand. I don't believe they make it any more. It consists of a 6' long alum. extrusion with folding legs. On top of the extrusion slides the stop, material rest, and a phonelic coated plywood platform that the saw is attached to. I like it's portibility the main body of the stand with the legs folded up is 6 feet long and about 8 inches in dia. It is quite light, easy to set up and store in the truck. The material support and stop must be slid on from one end and tightened with a nylon tipped cap screw which is fitted with a nice plastic knob. It would be better if I could attach them without having to slide them on from the end and a lever rather than the somewhat slow screw as a tightning device would be better. The plywood platform stays attached to the saw whick makes an already heavy saw even heaver, it also must be slid on from the end and tightened down with a knob on the end of a cap screw. Soemthing lighter than the plywood platform that doesn't have to be slid on from the end would be better.

I have a Rigid SUV saw stand it it works very well. My only 2 gripes with it are: when it is collapsed to store the saw in a standing position (which the company touts as a vital space-saving feature) the entire unit is top-heavy and very tipsy, also the construction of the table and rails for the outfeed arms makes it difficult to securely clamp your own outfeed arms (to use stop blocks for repeated cuts, etc.)and keep the entire thing lined up squarely. But these are minor quibbles, overall I am very satisfied with it. That said, I want the new Bosch setup!

I have a Portamate PM7000. It's got big plastic wheels, fold-out legs and extension arms with small plastic rollers built into the work supports. Also has a power bar on the front which I plug my shop vac and the saw into so I can flip one easy-to-reach switch to turn on dust collection and the saw at the same time.

Overall it works. Although the fit and finish is not precise enough for trim work and a lot of pieces of the stand run into each other when you're collapsing it down for transport. The plastic used is also pretty easy to chip or crack so there are some parts that have fallen off or become broken. It's also quite heavy. So what would I do differently?

1: Rubber or pneumatic wheels, again cheap plastic that wears easily and doesn't roll very easily. Pneumatic wheels would add weight and bulk but are excellent when it comes to moving things around a job site, just have to be careful about nails. Solid rubber would be a happy medium and avoid puncture issues.

2: Bypassing rails. I've seen other stands with this feature. For whatever reason the support arm rails on the Portamate are justified at the same point at the center of the stand which limits the length of the arms a lot. Making them bypass each other when stowed would allow for much longer arms.

3: More aluminum. Extruded aluminum would be pretty strong and allow for lighter weight and more precise fit and finish. Maybe even have flat extruded aluminum arms that could be adjusted level with the saw table for continuous support of material. Small fold-out legs could be built into the support arms. You could even put sliding stops in tracks on them as well as a ruler.

Of course everything would have to be adjustable to allow for different sizes of saw. Getting tolerances tight enough while keeping things simple enough to be reliable both in terms of accuracy and life of the stand could be a challenge. But it would be a lovely best of both worlds of accuracy and portability (cost might be a little high though).

The Dewalt saw-stand I use with the Dewalt mitre saw is an improvement on just clamping it to some saw horses etc, but I am not completely satisfied. Sure, it folds down okay, but the out-feed arms don't always hold the wood properly. I can't explain it.
The Bosch Axial-glide one is SO superior in all ways.

The Dewalt saw-stand I use with the Dewalt mitre saw is an improvement on just clamping it to some saw horses etc, but I am not completely satisfied. Sure, it folds down okay, but the out-feed arms don't always hold the wood properly. I can't explain it.
The Bosch Axial-glide one is SO superior in all ways.

The Ultimate Miter Stand
I have a cheap miter stand that I love which is a Roybi. It is light weight and very solid, easy to level on uneven ground and has easy to adjust stops. The only faults I can see is I would like built in tape measures built into the stops with magnetic ends to lock onto the blade so it would be hands free when I adjust them. The other thing is instead of knobs that twist to lock the wings into place I would like for it to have large leavers that just flip down to lock. That would make it much faster to adjust.
The last thing I would like to have on it would be a 3 way power switch to control the vacuum, saw and anything else like lights. Remember keep it light and simple. Good Luck!

Just wanted to get in on the contest and saw TunnelVision's entry. Let me just say...VERY NICE!

That being said, I am not one who has been able to specialize anymore and find myself wanting/needing a saw stand w/stops that is able to be accurate for trim & cabinetry but large and long enough to handle framing tasks too. I work out of a full size cargo van and would want it to easily fit inside to lock up. I would love to spend the time to work on and perfect one to my liking but I can't see making the time to do it. Call it a cop-out but that's how it is. I need to work on paying jobs right now. Maybe later. While having used one once a long time ago, when I didn't appreciate it, I now wonder if the Sawhelper Ultrafence is the answer. I know it's pricey but if it's paid for in a job or two it seems less expensive than the kind of time I would spend building one (I know, I'm slow) that is sure to be bulkier. I've read the reviews but I'm looking for any regular users to come back with their experience with it. I currently have a Trojan TWC and like its quick setup (I made a slightly larger 1" plywood table and replaced all of the thumbscrews with T-knobs) but it's a framer's stand for sure and has no stops for repetitive cut lengths.

Other than the satisfaction of having designed and built it myself (I know it's a good reason), I can't see any reason to work on reinventing the wheel when so many of you are way ahead of me. I look forward to the final designs to be published and hope to be surprised and inspired enough to get my butt into the garage and build one of my own.

I currently have a Dewalt 12" compound miter saw with a Dewalt aluminum stand. What I do like about it was it is fairly stable and sturdy for its light weight and has long outfeeds.

What I don't like outweighs what I do. Those dislikes include: Legs are not sturdy enough to handle side sliding of the stand without significant chattering and worry that the stand will be damaged and there are no wheels - more sturdy legs and/or some sort of caster or glide system on the bottom of the feet allowing omni-directional movement of the stand would be interesting; the outfeeds are long but sag badly with heavy stock on them, a real downer when I was working on our timber frame this summer and was using this saw for "smaller members"; outfeed heads need to be moved from main stand table to outfeed outriggers - separate outfeed supports would be much better; when my Dewalt 12" saw is on the stand, the stand is highly imbalanced, being back heavy and is very hard to move, even with two people, needing to counter-balance the saw and stand with pressure on the front of the stand - balance, balance, balance; the fold up stop blocks on the outfeeds are terrible. They have a small amount of wiggle in them and I never am able to trust them.

In conclusion, I am thinking of a new stand and ... a new saw. That Axial-Glide Bosch looks just about right for all the finish work I have coming up for the next two or three years.

Since the portable chop-saw stand has pervaded the market, available even in outlets not known for tool sales, the pickings have still been relatively slim.
I started out with a home made, oak-sectioned 6-foot platform with no legs..., it was cumbersome, but once set-up, a real treat to use.
Then I spent $99.00 on a Ryobi set-up that they still sell today! Many others have mimicked the overall design of the stand with swing-down legs - locked in place with spring pegs.
easy to store; easy to set-up and easy to attach your saw to.
Using a chop saw without having to lean down or support on an uneven surface is a marked improvement for many...
The killer is that the overall length of the support is wanting. With only a 9-foot reach, it covers only about 50% of what I use the saw-system for.

So, the wish list includes:

Portable (easy to stow in the work truck or garage)
Compact (folds-up into a carry-friendly shape)
Sturdy (must be rigid and able to take a beating)
somewhat lightweight (less than 50 lbs)
No assembly (folding legs, friction locks, etc)
A minimum 12-foot reach overall
Footprint able to support large saws 12" minimum...

I have a Bosch fold up stand and the wost thing about it is the weight, its very heavy but so is my 15 year old Makita mounted to it so that's ok. The wheels are good but too small for stairs and obstructions and this beast needs to be wheeled (did I mention the weight). It folds up and deploys quickly and easily but the outriggers are flimsy and get out of adjustment. There is no accurate stop for multiple cuts and no good way to clamp long pieces, I have rigged up a heavy clamp to do the trick, it works but is another piece to forget. I would like a system with no pieces to loose or forget. Finally there are no measurements on the stand which would be a great feature. Thanks and I look forward to the stand you come up with.

As just a do-it-yourselfer around the house I use a 10" Delta Sidekick that came with it's own attached tubular stand. I don't believe I would ever buy a saw like this and then build a stand out of sawhorses or old doors or a chunk of plywood. Ugh! Why would I want to lug that around? A couple of gripes I have is that this saw will cut "only" 12" crosscuts. Many times I could use more. Also, it would be very nice if my saw would bevel in both directions as well.

I have a Delta wheeled stand, I've had it for quite a few years. Pros: the wheels, nice long work area, great input/output roller supports, pretty good clamping setup.
Cons: heavy, difficult to collapse, no provision for quick mount/dismount of miter saw, won't store (standing) when collapsed (without modification)
I use a 10" Makita on it; all in all a good stand for small shops and worksite use.

So an ideal stand should make tool swap really easy, be as light as possible (without being flimsy, store upright, have good clamping and repeat stops, adjustable in/out feed supports.

Unlike a lot of other readers, I made my own chop saw bench. I found the store bought ones didnt double as a work bench. The one I have used for years now was made from a section of an old extension ladder as the base, and light weight plywood (1/2") or (3/4") as the elevated bench top. It is a lot lighter than the 2X6 framed bench I had before. Using one half of a 20 foot extension ladder gave me a 10 foot bench which handled most lenghts of wood with the capability of adding the second piece of the ladder for an extension for extra long material. All is supported by simple saw horses. I can't count how often I have used it to sand, route or drill material. The ladder was destined for the dump as it was unsafe to use for climbing anymore. Using this as the base made everything lightweight. It's not the most compact around, but I wouldn't trade it for the store bought.
I mounted a six outlet power bar under the deck to keep it out of the weather.
I frame as well as do trim, and have found it works well for both types of jobs. After wear and tear to the deck, just unscrew it and replace it with fresh plywood. Often the pieces can be found as scrap on the job because each side is only 4 feet X 18 inches wide.
I didn't make some elaborate fence to handle stops for repetative cuts, I just screw a piece of 2X material to the deck for this task.
Works great with my Dewalt 12" chop saw and I am not afraid to pound on the bench if need be.

I have three different saws that I use on jobsites, rough, finish, and framing. I find this easier to change saws on the stand than changing blades constantly. What really bothers me is that I can't find a stand that has universal and adjustable fastening points for different saws. I am always using some type of modification or clamp system for one or more points on different saws.

hey man i haven't seen this compound miter yet but it looks amazing; like to win one. with all the miter saws the only thing i don't like is the saw is too close to the table to get wider material in. If the arm was up higher it would be fantastic as everything else is great . the stands need more locking mech. to hold material and longer supports for longer materials, with a stop for the back to line up with the saw for straight cuts; nothing worse than the long pieces holding off for straight cuts.

My stand is about five years old and was made or branded by Hitachi. My major complaint was the size of the wheels at one end which were completely undersized for moving the stand with the saw attached. The additional weight of the miter saw proved to be too much for the wheel supports which bent and made rolling the stand to and from the job site impossible. Other than that problem I thought it was a good design.

I have the old DeWalt stand (10 years old) Works great but with the extension added it is difficult to move. If I could get an extra work support it would be ideal but not made any more. If I set it up semi-permenantly I would put a shelf under it for extra stock. Solid, and the saw slides easily to any spot on the stand. Not much use praising it however since it isn't made any more. Too bad...

Where do I start. I am sure most of us have gone thru more stands than we can remember. Our most recent stands are a Port A Mate and a site built model.
Our site built stand uses Stanley's Fat Max sawhorses as the support with a 2x4 and ply top. I like large work surface of this stand, but could do without the weight. The adjustable leg feature of these sawhorses allows the user to adjust the height to his or her liking and to adjust to make this stand very stable on unevenm terrain. The Port A Mate features quick connect attachments so that we can mount different tools quickly and easily and the part that mounts to the tool still allows the tool to sit on the floor or another bench. Unfortunately, the Port A Mate ia a track style stand and doesn't have any space for materials or small tools nor does it have the torsional strength of our plywood topped stand.
The stability, portability and weight of a new stand would be my main concerns, but perks like a power bar, pencil sharpener, storage tray, and supports for long material would be incorporated if I was to design a new one.
I can't wait to see the design that you come up with. From the ideas that I am already seeing, this will be the "Ultimate Miter Stand".

I have a older ridged stand. I love it. I I'm able to get it up lots of steps and it's easy to set up. Some of the things i wish it had would be a tool storage and or blades,easy removable tool from stand not bolted down, also a expandable all around tool. Something you could use for a table saw and add on's like a longer support attachment for long crown moldings.

What I hate about our stand is that it's naked-- the saw (an old Makita) bit the dust. And the lighting needed improvement. Love the idea of the gooseneck lights. Also, it was not portable.
What I loved about it was that it had about 6' extensions on each side, it was very sturdy and the perfect height (it was a homemade thing).

Even tho I work for Lowe's, I own a Ridgid 15"slide miter and a Ridgid portable stand. They are both ALMOST perfect. The miter saw will do any thing that i ask it to do. No complaints.(I build furniture as a hobby) The stand would be perfect if it would only extend a little futher out. When you need to cut an angle or a compound miter on a long board,it is real hard to hold it steady without adding a couple of extra stands out the infeed and outfeed of the table. Other than that I am happy with my Ridgid. I also Own a 12" Dewalt mitersaw. I use this for a backup saw.

My miter saw stand is a modified gurney, I removed the mattress, replaced it with 3/4" plywood (the gurney provides lots of support for the plywood) and bolted down my mitre saw. As I pull the gurney out of my van the wheeled legs drop down and away I go, at the end of the day I pull a handle push the gurney into my van and the legs fold up. I built boxes on the plywood base of the gurney which provides support when cutting long stock, they also double as storage for my "bucket boss" and baskets filled with fasteners, power tools, cords etc. These items all have to be removed to use the saw, but it saves me a of of drudge work at the start and end of each work day. I get a lot of comments from fellow tradesman.

I've got an ancient Delta 10" Sidekick slider mounted on a 2 year old Bosch stand. I like my saw, tough, durable, just about immortal. Still pretty accurate after 15 years! My stand is strong, stable, and has absolutely no side storage at all. It has the adjustable fourth leg for level on an unlevel surface. However, I have to dismount the saw from the stand to take anything anywhere. Outfeeds are okay, but don't try to cut anything bigger than a 2x4 without extra outfeed supports. Dust extraction consists of a large lathe hood I put on a portable base. My ideal stand would have side shelves and drawers, cause you can never have enough flat places to put the stuff you need to build stuff! I would also like better a built in dust hood that adapts to the saw angles, is portable without a major 'takeapart' and has it's own power hookups. This saw system mostly lives in my shop these days as business has dropped off substantially, so now there's shelves under it and large flat areas behind and above it for 'stuff'. But still, there's room for improvement!

I have a DeWalt saw stand to go with my 12" DeWalt compound miter saw. There are two things I dislike about the stand: the lumber supports are heigh-adjustable but lack a stop or detent that would make setting the height of the support the same as the deck of the saw... just a annoyance; and, I hate having to move the support in and out constantly everytime I switch to a longer or shorter piece... again, just an aggravation that just slows me down a bit. It would be nice if the rubber feet on the thing were secured in such a way that they didn't fall off on the jobsite the first time I moved it. Yeah, I know, if I took the time to pick the thing up instead of dragging it that wouldn't happen, but I'm a guy and a guy is just gonna drag the thing when it needs to be moved a couple feet. What I DO like about it is that it is reasonably sturdy, the legs lock down securely, and its a snap to remove the saw from the stand when its time to load up the truck.

I have the collapsable Delta Stand (can't rememeber the number)with the Bosch 12" SCM. I absoulutely love the saw! I absolutley hate the stand! The most frustrating thing about this stand are the the height adjustments on the extension arms. The ALWAYS hang up, when you try to raise them to table height, and given the fact that the sag about an 1-1/2 at full extension they are practically useless. They slip and catch and stick making it virtually impossible to take into account the sag. YUK! In fact as I'm writing this I'm thinking I'm going to go home take my saw off the stand and sell it for a few buck on Craigs list!

My second complaint is about the hard rubber tires, put inflatable rubber tires on it....dropping off a curb, or over a root with that stands can be life threatenting:)

A very good miter saw stand for me would have:
Cord storage
Ability to adjust rest from the saw position instead of walking to the end of the board.
Built in electrical connection.
Ability to store at least one spare blade and wrench.
Hydraulic lift and fold.
At least 8" wheels.
Spot to hold measuring tape and assorted pencils.
A rail on the bottom to slide the folded stand with saw on it up onto my tailgate. This would save me from having to lift the saw and stand cold.
Very light and very stable.

I have 4 miter saws but only one stand. A cheap model that I got on sale for less than $80. I have looked and studied trying to find something worthwile but have not found one worth the extra money. It's my opinion that most are designed by draftsmen, not carpenters or woodworkers.Most seem to be designed around the idea of a folding ironing board table.

Please, please come up with something well designed and worth investing in that will assist my work.

I have had my stand for about 15 years. It is a Trojan stand that will fold up and you are able to roll around to different job sites quite easily. The goods side items are, extension arms that support the work are quick and easy to set up, the wheels and folding capability is also very good. The stand has a roller on each side of the saw base that allows the material to slide very easily over the saw and is quite easy to adjust to make a cut. This stand is very sturdy and has taken a lot of abuse over the years and has held up very well.
The bad side items are when the saw stand is setup, there is some difficulty moving it without going thru the teardown, foldup, reset up procedure. I have made a little modification to the stand to make this a little more workable so that I can still use the wheels when it is setup.
The bottom line, would I buy another one. Yes, yes, yes. I have seen that they have made improvements on this stand over the years. It has definitely been worth the money.

I'm a weekend warrier and have an older Delta Miter saw with cast iron base. Typically I set up basic horses for molding and cutting work and use a range of things to get support for longer length lumber. Recently I took some playwood shelving removed from closets and riped it down to a 10" width and roughly 8' long. Using left over 2x4's I ripped them down in half to reduce weight and made a table that is hinged in the center and folds up for storage. For me this works fine, but would like to have a lighter version that folds up, tucks away easily and sets up just as easy. Also would like to have built in mounting brackers that lined up with the saw for quick attachment. I keep te surface painted white to use for making reference marks and also being that it is wood, I can screw a range of stops and guide into it. Having a sloted set up for that with flexibility in settings would be an improvement.

The most important thing for me is the right height and ablity to adjust to suit the terreign. On different types of grading makes for tough set up to get the saw to a decent level position. This would be an important improvemtn in the ultimate saw stand.

Manufactures of ALL stands don't take into account women users. They "Pink it and shrink it," and that doesn't work. I'm also 55 and although I'm in good shape, I don't have the hand strength or back strength to move a heavy stand - but I want stability and portability.

I live in a small house, no basement, very limited storage, so something I can move easily, or collapse would be great. I often work alone so I need something with an outfeed table and clamps that's easy for a one-woman operation.

Right now I clear off my office desk (which I made out of a sheet of 3/4" plywood ripped to 3'wide x 6' long) and clamp the saw down with C clamps. Not great - but I don't do a lot of work with the saw now because I'm waiting to get/find a perfect stand! When I'm outside I use a folding table (heavy molded plastic from Lowes) I screw the saw to.

Wow.....too many guys still working on their knees with miter saw on the floor.....
1-Dewalt stand-- Have had 3 of them..decent...make sure to lock extension(s) or you'll send one through a window..not so hot for wide stock; if you don't quite lock the saw to the stand (and you think you have it..) can be kind of hairy...okay stand..tough...rugged.
2-Hitachi/Trak-Rac stand--Nice and compact;good positive locking system for the saw platform;decent accessories for the extension arms....because of the front and back extension arms you can come up shallow for,again, wide stock on the rear rail extension...also some pretty sharp edges on the profiles...also the legs splay out further than the Dewalt and you keep tripping over those legs......and when the rail extension track gets gets cheesed up with saw dust..Man, oh Man-what a nuisance...and can be hard to clean out in the track..
3-Bosch Tilt-up stand--One of my favorites....only bugaboo is the sometime problem of working with wide and or long stock....but what an absolute breeze to schleppe in and out of the trailer,the truck, up and down stairs....like the rigidty and simplicity...BIG KUDOS TO BOSCH!!
4- An oldie and sometimes a goodie---the old Sawbuck----kind of wide--hard to get through some doorways--fairly decent for loading and unloading--- but the saw itself was Mickey Mouse--I had 2 of them....Why? I liked the fact that you could cut over 18" width at 90 dgrees...you had a great table for all kinds of 'umph' (I had both the aluminum model table and the later model with the plastic-type ABS top)...the extension arms were wimpy,but broad......Now, if you could clone the lightweight and larger 'table' of the sawbuck,combine it with the simplicity of the Bosch Tilt-up stand, and then give it some extension arms with tanates-they do not need to be much longer, but a little more width and 'umph' facto would help......Basically, I'm seeing the Bosch stand with an ABS type deck or table-maybe something where you could add Bosch inserts to help with the material support-kind of like clip-in and lock accessories...sort of Festoolian in nature....
I feel that the combination of the new Bosch glide saw with a slightly broader stand,better extensions and some cool lock-in accessories you could really kick butt.
We had a really nice dedicated benchtop setup for one of our miter saws in our shop-very sweet--easy to clean--but, we were anchored to the bench.....
I think that no matter what you come up with it will beat 'Hands Down' the old days when we lugged our 10" Dewalt radial arm saw all over creation.....no wonder I've had hernia repairs...HAH!

We use a site built table with two saw horses. The table is strong enough for framing materials to be stocked on. Nails can be set for a bump stop that allows for production cutting. The table can be added to for extra long lenghts. The down side is transporting to other sites. Most of the time it is safe to leave the table on site until work is complete, but on occastion some one thinks they need it more than us. It would be nice to have a set up that is strong and could fold down to fit in a truck and has fast bump stops Maybe something that uses or clamps to lumber so lenght of table could be adjusted

I use a Delta Kickstand with a Bosch 10" miter saw. I hope the new articulated arm saw comes out in a 10" version someday.

Kickstand Pro:
Very stable heavy duty construction
Good infeed and outfeed rollers with a wide range of adjustments.
Large 10" wheels make easy to haul up and down stairs.
I can park my shopvac under it and connect the hose to the saw. Getting all the sawdust to go into it is another matter.

Con:
Ironically, the Kickstand has no kickstand to store it vertically. I'll make my own when I have time. It was made to store flat which is OK in the truck, but not in the garage.

The knobs for the feed roller extensions put tension on welded nuts when tightening them. Eventually he weld breaks.

What I added:
Storage box with sliding top with enough room for material clamps, crown molding clamps, and measuring tools. Same height as the saw base.

What every stand needs:
A place to hold/store pencils. I'm always losing them. Easy to DIY though. How about a pencil sharpener too?
More storage is always a bonus.
A power strip, or provisions to add your own.
Adjustable measuring tape on both sides.
A quick way to remove/attach the saw to the stand.
Material stops that give you more range than the ones on the saw.
Extensions rollers with a flip-up/flip-down backstops. Useful to keep skinny trim from flopping around.

For my Ridgid 10" saw, I have a poor man's setup that is simply a left-over 2'x3' piece of 1/2 OSB (base) screwed to a 2"x6"x6' that is clamped into my old Workmate. On the 2x6, just outside of the OSB base, I have a box (built with 2x6 and OSB) to bring the material level with the saw table. The box is equiped with an old tape measure that allows for fast measuring, a storage area for pencils, squares, etc., and a few stop holes for repeat cuts. Can be set up in either direction, just unscrew the saw from the OSB and rotate. Has a mounting setup to hang in the shop when not in use. Best part of the whole set up is that it can be tossed in the back of the truck and I don't worry if it gets damaged.

What do I hate about my current miter saw stand? ITS A HOLLOW CORE DOOR SUSPENDED BETWEEN TWO SAWHORSES :-( Don't get me wrong - it has served its purpose and is suited for my 8 1/4" Delta compound miter saw. Or, I should saw WAS suited - it recently went to tool heaven. So, I would love to have the 12" Bosch beauty for which I could build a decent stand!

I use a Makita 12" mated to a Ryobi stand I bought about 7 or 8 years ago. I was worried a bit about the Ryobi at first, but it has turned out to be a solid and useful stand. The handle in the middle balances it, making it easy to carry, and it sets up fast. I do a lot of outdoor garden structures, and it would be helpful to have adjustable leg extensions to find that solid spot. I made some small shelves that fit on either side of the saw that hold tapes, info, all that stuff, and that would have been a nice touch from the factory. But for $99, I can't complain.

1. A stand that is adjustable for onsite conditions
2. Large retractable wheels that don't interfere with usage.
3. A large enough mounting plate to accommodate 12" saws.
4. Adjustable rests for up to 10'0" lengths.
5. A drawer, or tray beneath the saw for tools, tapes pencils.
6. A power strip, 20 amp that can be mounted either side of tray, according to right or left handed folks.
7. Beefy (3/8") locking levers and handles for the large handed of us who struggle with the smaller knobs and clamps.
8. Built in measuring strip 60"right and left.
9. Boltless fixing of chopsaw to mounting table.

My current setup consists of a DeWalt compound miter saw (non-sliding) on a metal shelving unit in the center against a long wall. It has served my purposes fairly well, but could certainly be more user-friendly. Since it doesn't have sliding support extensions, I use a free-standing roller assembly on one or both ends to suport long pieces and slide the shelving unit out to accommodate them. Therefore, the stand is pretty crude.

From a saw perspective, it is difficult to change the miter settings with the control on the back of the saw. The angle settings are effortless and the pre-set detents work well.

After watching your video of this new saw, it is awesome! I love how easy it is to set up and use. I want one.

Additonally, I think the perfect miter saw stand would definitely be portable because there have been numerous occasions to use it outside the shop. The stand needs to be be lightweight and durable, preferably aluminum and be sturdy when deployed, maintaining the accuracy of the factory settings. I think 8" or larger diameter wheels would be nice for ease of navigating rougher terrains when transporting to and from jobsites. Perhaps the wheels would fold flat like on some of the those travel-style 2-wheel dollies when not being used. The stand should set up quickly and also be able to fit through standard door openings with the saw mounted.

I actually have not purchased a saw stand. Instead I have a folding stage/platform that was designed for painting but has a rectangular platform and leg extensions that make an excellent saw stand for a fraction of the cost. To dump this and invest in a saw stand, I would have to really see significant advantages. Maybe this is the one and will check it out.

I too have been working with a functional, though not ideal, miter saw. After using a Delta for a couple years, I do appreciate the ease of rotation, clearly marked angles and a powerful motor. Missing features: laser marker, a second axis of rotation, better dust collection and a quieter motor! Perhaps an extended measurement system and something to prop up longer board that overhang would help as well.

I don't have a dedicated built in spot for my current stand - which is eventually what I want to build. However, of the annoying things in a tight shop is the location. Sometimes I need to cut in the middle of a long piece. My saw is 7' from a corner, so cutting a 16 footer in half requires I move the saw out enough to get past the short section of small end cabinet. It doesn't have wheels so I have to drag it. Location should always include the reminder to leave 8' on either side of a chop saw station when possible. Mine is under a window because I didn't want cabinets above it. If I was building a shop, I would have an uninterrupted wall, or place the center of the window I planned on using at least 8' 1" from the wall. It doesn't happen often, but often enough.

Here is our fancy trim version of my design.
We have been using the original utilitarian model(painted grey) for interior and exterior carpentry successfuly for 10+ years...... http://vimeo.com15548719

I have used the dewalt stand for years and find it the most useful and durable features for a trim carpenter when easy set up and portability is a big concern. Modifications that I've made involved purchasing an additional set of saw mounts which I then attached plywood planks to create large outfeed extensions on the side. This allowed me to place a track mounted material stop for shorter cuts that couldn't be made as the stand was designed unless you removed the outer supports and moved them onto the track.

I think the requirements for a lumber saw and trim saw are sufficiently different that I would not try to make one stand for both task. The ideas here are for a trim saw.
1 - The stand must support molding up to 16' and assist the user in making accurate repeatable cuts.
2 - Durable. Can it take it when I throw my compressor on top of it or drop it?
3 - Portable, with fast setup
4 - The stand must have a surface for the small tools directly involved in marking or cutting molding.
5 - The stand should be flexible enough to work well for new build, remodel, indoor and outdoor situations.
6 - Having room for 2 saws would be nice.
Asking for things like cup holders or power strips does not help make accurate cuts, when one of these add-on items breaks it just becomes dead weight.
The wheeled stands are to big for me, having a saw cart that doubles as a miter saw stand is a lot of weight I don't need. I would start with the Dewalt style stand add wheels on one end, a small tool surface, longer arms, better work supports and a measuring tape with stop. A custom work support on one end that helps do coping would be nice.
I use a Fast Cap saw hood (and love it) but it is designed to attach to the saw so doesn't enter into this discussion.

Dealing with extremely limited space, I have my miter saw mounted to a base of scrap plywood sandwiching pieces of scrap 2x6. The base is constructed about 6"-8" wider and deeper than the saw. This heavy and stable base works out well whether clamped to my bench, or when using a pair of closely spaced folding plastic sawhorses with a scrap 1/4 sheet of plywood across them to clamp to. Not sophisticated or fancy, but easy and practical.

For years, I've just been clamping my old Delta 10" miter saw on my B&D Workmate 400 or just using the saw on the ground. The plastic handle of my current miter saw broke. Delta does not sell replacements so i epoxied it together but it's not going to last. This new Hitachi saw look like a beauty. If I win it I'll be building a custom bench on casters for it that would be a combination saw stand and sheet goods rack.
Thanks,
--- Steve

Would it be more acceptable to you if I just wanted a place to sit my bottled water? FWIW I don't take "coffee breaks" or lunch for that matter, I just drink coffee all day long... and last I checked, a real carpenter doesn't mind a little wood flavor added to his coffee!

Furthermore, when I say I need some workplace and a place to sit tools, what I specifically mean is a place to clamp moldings and rest my jigsaw when coping trim. Sometimes I need to glue small pieces together and sit them down for a minute or two. Having extra space around my saw is convenient for many reasons. Why should I set up saw horses for that?

However, you are right that "Everyone has different work, material, and preferences" I assume from the set-up that you described that you probably specialize in framing carpentry. Your saw stand gets set-up and taken down every day and so it must be portable yet robust enough to cut lumber. Scraps are just tossed to the side and coffee breaks are taken on the tailgate of the truck. My situation is different. I am a remodeler specializing in trim carpentry. I demand versatility out of my set-up. I may be framing a roof one week, installing built-in bookshelves the next, then trimming out a whole house after that. I work indoors most of the time and may be on the same job for several days where I can just leave my set-up at the job site. I often work with expensive trim so I like to have room next to my saw to gently stack off cuts for later use. Sometimes I build cabinets and it's nice to have a place next to the saw to sit my clipboard with plan and cut list.

So, yes it depends on what you need your saw stand to do.
"Coffee break is over"
DC

I have a Rigid gravity rise stand. it's alright, a little wobbly, but it is pretty easy to use and transport. One thing I've always wished for in a stand is a barber-shop style foot pedal to raise and lower both the support wings and the overall height of the saw. It would be great if you could set up your saw, extend the wings, and then fine tune the height with a simple pedal while standing at the saw itself instead of fiddling with twist nobs way out at the end of the wings.

Someone already mentioned a re-writable surface on saw fence. Would also like an erasable marking surface at proximal part of outfeed arm - to jot down measurements, miter angle directions and your anniversary date - so you will never forget, again. Throw in a pencil holder, pencil sharpener, and I second the beverage holder - hey, this is the "ultimate" miter saw stand, right?

Scott King wrote an article in FHB Feb/Mar 1991 on a movable table for a chopsaw that is the basis for my own configuration. We share a similar environment - the tropics. No way I can leave a saw setup on a stand where I live just off the windward coast, on a waterway with trades blowing steady into my garage/shop. The box works very well for storage and as a base for my miter saw. Minor adaptations have been made to fit my Makita 10", and I've adapted the saw base to fit a Triton SuperJaws for deck work on rough ground.

Everyone has different work, material, and preferences. If you need a place for your coffee, I don't believe right next to a saw with dust flying is the best place. Coffee break is over. Get to work. If you need more workspace try sawhorses and plywood.

I like simple, small, lightweight, and portable. I work on-site and in my shop with limited space. The Dewalt stand is great for the most part. It takes the space of aout a 6' 6x6 in the truck and hangs nicely on the wall. Made of very light aluminum and is easily collapsed and moved by one person.

As already stated above, the arms need a little refinement for accurate cutting. Not that I cut the ends of 16' 2x10's on a miter saw. They make circular saws for that. But I do agree the extension arms and the brackets need some more engineering.

Bottom line is a miter stand should be for a miter saw. Not a work bench or break room. Simple, lightweight, extend-able arms and easy saw attachment.

My cheapo stand is a 18" solid core slab door from a builder surplus warehouse sitting on a pair of sawhorses. Biggest issue has been cutting long stock without enough support out on the ends. I made my own supports for the ends of the table. So extension wings or separate end supports (like the tripod ones mentioned or similar to the Saw Helper ones) would be my must-have.

What I want are 2 lights on goose necks or similar, since I'm not a fan of lasers alone, a connection for my compressor to a onboard blow gun so I can keep the work area clear of debris, and a switched outlet for the shop vac that connects to a FULL SIZED dust port/hood assmebly that swivels with the table would also be good. Not too much to ask, really.

Having used (but not owned) the Sawhelper, I think it is the best commercial rig I have used. Unfortunately, it is hard for a hobbyist like myself to justify the expense. I will be building folding stand based on a design I found on Fine Woodworking.

-A stand that has adjustable feet to help keep the stand level on uneven ground.
-A stand that has the ability to hold the saw and still easily move it around the job site.
-A built in power strip since you usually have a work area with multiple tools running.
-A track or rail system to help make odd cuts, to secure lumber while making cuts, and assist in making truer cuts.
-Reasonably priced for the average diyer.

Awesome project. I'm nearing the end of my screen porch project and these are a few thoughts that I've had while using my miter saw.

Reading the previous comments I see that a few people requested roller supports. Having worked on and owned a few stands with roller supports, I warn against rollers. They move the stock too easily making it much more difficult to line up a perfect precision cut. Working fast pace, like framing, the rollers are dangerous. A small tug on the stock sends your hand sailing towards the blade. I have always duct taped rollers stationary. Then I could untape if (for whatever reason) I actually need them to roll. So, go with a bar, plate, or maybe look for a lockable roller but never free wheeling.

A few commenters also mentioned levelers. In all my years I think I have only once or twice really needed to level my saw stand. Choosing your work area wisely is part of the job. Working on a slope and uneven terrain is more dangerous and difficult. But sometimes you gotta do it...like working on a roof. In which case those screw foot levelers would be too slow and not nearly long enough. Something more like Werner Ladderlok legs would be better and far more versatile.

I am also an advocate of a saw stand providing work surface and storage. When I set up my saw at a jobsite it is usually the center of the work area and must be capable of acting as a makeshift work bench, tool rest, have some accessory storage, and above anything else it needs a place for me to sit my coffee mug!

Those track/beam saw stands may be light and easy to store but never have a place to put everything. You end up putting things on the ground and spend all day bending doing bends or you need to go to the trouble of setting up another work surface. Also, I have never ever felt the need to have an integrated tape measure.

The stand has got to be able to be leveled on ground which might be far from level, such as on slope. And having a second, mini-stand that can also be leveled would be nice for when you have a 16' or 20' board to cut. You can then put this mini-stand out a long ways from the main stand to keep the board level.

Who has storage space to spare? My ideal mitre saw stand would be something that can be folded up or knocked down for compact stable storage. I like the extruded side support extensions of the Sawhelper model, rather than rollers which would provide spotty support, but I would want the side extensions to be sturdy enough for heavy jobs, so I’d use thicker cast aluminum -- instead of extruded -- with a machined work surface for smooth gliding of stock. I’d design in a network or grid of cutouts in each side extension’s surface to reduce weight. I’d have the side-extensions each designed with a rail along the length featuring built in measuring tape and multiple quick release stops that could be flipped out of the way for one job and back in place for the next. Nothing would be made of wood. My storage is not that dry, and I don’t want issues of warp, rot, or splintering. I like the idea of Ryobi’s quick releasing crossbar mounts with feet on them to allow the saw to be popped easily out of the table assembly and used on it’s own

My suggestions are
1) rubber capped variably adjustable feet on each leg( to account for uneven terrain about 1 1/2" long)
2)Individually Adjustable legs to account for the ergonomic difference in the persons buying the unit variation
3) fold Up legs
4) easily expendable length Up to 4" either side of the cut
5) Accurate fence stop with built in tape measure
6)easily attachable big gulp dust collection
7) Variable bolting connection plates to suit different manufactured saws
8)clip in plate( so the trade person could easily remove saw while away from site.
9) light aluminium construction
10) !!!!!strong!!!!!! multiple Feed rollers support either side of the saw blade rather than a flat aluminium plate ( about 12" wide.

I have the sawhelper, it is nice but no silver-bullet and the milled aluminum needs the edges eased to avoid gouging your knuckles and walls. I prefer a table with more depth for additional stock. I also really like a gfci power strip for the vacum, chargers, other tools. Tool compartments right under the table so I have a place to put squares, extra pencils/tape and power tools/cargers. I would love to see a coping station at the end of the support table with power supply and tool shelf hold my jig-saw, grinder, sandpaper, and test pieces for coping.

The bottom line for me is that I always wind up using the miter stand as my main work table/area and I would like to see a stand that is designed with that in mind.

For me the big things are portability and stability under real jobsite conditions. Highly adjustable leg length on at least a two of the legs is the best approach in my mind (preferable to have all 4 fully adjustable)

I used to have a miter saw where I worked many years ago. A co-worker helped me cut up and weld a couple of vice-grip welding clamps to the frame. I added a rubber stick-on table leg pad to the clamps to avoid marring the stock and I had quick release clamps that held their settings between cuts and that were spring loaded to stay out of the way when not in use. I wanted to add two more clamps at the ends of the fence to hold stop-blocks when making repeated cuts but I never got around to that. Here is what the clamps look like:
http://www.google.com/images?q=vice+grip+c+clamps

Include holes parallel to the fence for crown molding stops. The stops I use are 1x material with two dowels. I have different stops for different crown material. Be sure to include enough of a table in front of the saw for placing several pieces of material that will be cut.

The saw stand that you are looking to get built has already been designed and built. It is the Sawstand and Ultra Fence System. It is simple lightweight durable and extremely durable. It is more than a work of Art. It unfortunately is no longer being produced. It approaches criminal that it can not be dug out of it's production grave or legal entanglements. In place of owning this toll I use the Rousseau saw stand with the solid extension wings. It is rock solid and extremely accurate with my DeWalt DW708 bolted on top. Once it is set up my crew can produce any and all work unassisted and accurately. I would give a week of work to get my hands on the Sawhelper Sawstand and Ultrafence. So I wait to get my hands and rely on the accuracy and durability of my Rousseau

The saw stand you are looking for has already been designed and built. It was the Saw Helper saw stand and is currently out of production although their web site still is up and operational. I my opinion it surpasses everything on the market today. It's simplicity, strength and mobility are stunning. It has but 4 parts really and the weight and minimal structure are beautiful. I have been unable to find one on the used market so I am using the Rousseau Miter saw stand and extension wings under my Dewalt DW708 (A real wonderful tool too). It is rock solid, incredibly accurate and unfortunately quite heavy. Once it is set up though my crew can do any and every cut necessary without the slightest bit of a modification or assistance. I love it but would give give a ton of dough to get my hands on the Saw Helper Saw Stand. If you don't know of it Google it up. A true work of art.

... I think it should be primarily made from Aluminum to save weight
Have padded feet to protect job site floors
Be easy to add a FastCap Saw Hood
Be easy to add optional removable extensions
Be at least 36” high
Extra points for adjustable height
No tools needed for set up
.

A miter stand needs to be light weight, easy to take down and roll away. Outriggers for supporting long stock are nice but could be substituted with some type of outfeed roller/stand. An easy to adjust stop for cutting multiple pieces to the same length is a must. A shelf or support for tools, cut pieces etc. would be nice, in addition to a light for added help.

I bought the Rigid 12" sliding compound miter saw and stand.
While the saw works OK the stand is junk. Both extension arms sag and twist when extended (one has a leg support that pulls out from inside) and the rollers are setup so that only half the roller is in front of the saw fence line. All of the places that a screw knob is used seem to be very flimsy. It's a 12" saw I didn't buy it to cut 2" clam-shell trim!

There are two arms that extend so you can help the stand elevate. These are constantly in the way if you move the stand without folding it up first. The solid rubber tires work good on plywood floors but not so well in the dirt.

None of these stands are light and that's ok they have wheels. If you can't get a piece of wood to lay flat when resting on the extensions, the stand is useless.

I find myself relying on my miter stand to act as a second set of hands, especially with longer stock. Extending arms help but are limited and clamps are great but with longer or joined stock they can damage the wood. If I were designing the perfect miter stand it would have a light weight detachable stand like a table saw roller that would simply hold the distal end of longer stock. I think it would have a tripod base and adjustable height, with a clamp or edge guides that would hold the stock steady and a small bearing or roller that would allow the stock to slide slightly when positioned for the cut.
The other thing is a re-writable surface on the saw fence. Tape measured fences work I guess, but I always measure the first of repetitive cuts then leave the blade and stock in place and run a pencil line on the fence marking the end of the stock the move the uncut stock to that line and repeat the cut. The problem is I end up with so many pencil lines on the fence that I have to decipher which one I'm using. A re-writable surface would be great.
The last thing I would put on my perfect miter saw stand is a spring angle guide. I always start any crown job by confirming the spring angle. A spring angle guide would make that easier and confirm that I'm using the right pre-tents for the crown being hung. I guess this would only be good for those of us who still cut crown flat and know how to use a coping saw.

Bosch Miter Saw stand
Pros: Easy to fold and move.
Rails are stable at full extension.
Easy to mount and remove saw.
Cons: Tires are tubeless and leak, even after being mounted at my Goodyear shop and treated with Slime.
Extension work supports are difficult to adjust.
Work supports are solid metal, making it difficult to make fine adjustments when cutting heavy stock.
Oh, did I mention that the tires leak? )-;

I use a small Delta 8 1/2" miter saw. If I need more capacity I move to the table saw.

Nice thing about this saw is I have two mounts. One is a portable folding clamping table for when I need to work long stock outside. The other is a reclaimed piece of countertop with a sunk base for the saw. The countertop is level with the saw's base to provide support for the stock.

I have been using the Dewalt DW723 for years now and I think it is the best no-nonsense saw stand on the market. I love the rigid snap down legs and telescoping square tube adjustable rests.

A couple changes I would love to see:
-I find a lot of times after I carry over and set down a 16' 2x10 and I need to make a cut near one of the ends, it is difficult to adjust the arms out once I have placed the lumber on the saw. I think there should be a snap down tab of some sort to allow you to free up either arm, that would be accessible right there at the base of the saw, instead of reaching around your work to the end of the stand and turning the knobs.
-Also, if there was some sort of bearings on the face of the rest so you could slide it out or in to fit your needs, without having to lift up your board to free it up to slide. I find myself sliding in our out and sometimes knocking a board off the saw table.
-I am also unhappy with the height adjustment on the rests, there needs to be something simpler with more positive pressure to keep it from slipping down or loose with time.

My home shop is too small to have everything set up the way I'd like, so I treat it as a jobsite, but don't have to worry about an intervening trip in the truck. The big tools -- miter saw, table saw, and planer -- are all on stands that can easily be moved about. I've got a Delta stand I use with a DeWalt miter saw, and a Bosch "gravity rise" stand that came with the Bosch table saw. The planer is on the DeWalt stand, which would make a lousy miter-saw stand.

The Delta stand is basically OK, but the outrigger design needs some work. They are difficult to adjust, and the left one can't be extended without raising it all the way up, because it hits the handle. There's also a lot of slop in the outriggers -- as they extend they droop, so you can't set the height before extending. For jobs not needing the outriggers, it's great. I wrap the power cord around the saw, but the hooks on the stand might be good for an extension cord.

The Bosch stand was at one time suposed to be marketed on its own, but I've never seen it available. With the table saw, it's wonderfully easy to use, rugged, and stable. The saw comes with its own power-cord holder, and a nice long power cord, a standard Bosch feature, it seems.

One design criterion not mentioned in the video is the ease with which the whole rig can be packed up, put in the truck, moved to a new site, and set up again. As I mentioned, I don't do this often, but both the Delta and Bosch stands are fine in this respect. It's a one-man job to back the stand up to the tailgate, tip it up and slide the whole rig into the bed. A second set of wheels on the handle might make it easier to move into/out of the bed, but would also allow the rig to move around while travelling -- possibly not a good thing.

The only thing I'd add to the Delta stand, and would like to see on any miter-saw stand, is a small table accessory to hold small tools, pencils, cut-offs and small workpieces, etc., used at the saw.

I have a stand that I believe I bought at Canadian Tire. The thing is heavy and solid and would not come down in a hurricane. The wheels were a bit of a problem as I think they were designed to be used when that side of the stand was down, which was a pain in the butt if you wanted to move 10 feet to the other side of the room but ok if you had to go a lot further. I tried to use them with the stand still up and they broke because they were angled outward. The stand is good and solid with excellent extension off either side but it needs a better wheel system for both upright moving and collapsed moving. The wheels for the collapsed moving should be large so that you could role it along like a furniture mover with the saw still attached. The other problem with this stand is that it has very limited clamping ability should you need that third hand. All for now.

I've got the newer Bosch T4B miter saw stand with a Makita 10" slider on it.
I was hoping the stand would be an answer to all my problems for its convenience and portability. That's partly correct, but partly not. Here's the pros and cons of this particular stand in my opinion:

Pros:
- Easy to transport with the saw attached. I can collapse it and wheel it right up and into the back of my pickup
- stable, the stand doesn't rock much when being used, even when holding heavy material in place
- big pneumatic tires roll pretty easily over terrain, and up and down stairs without marring treads
- outfeeds are long enough to handle decent lengths of material
-easy to open/close the stand - very easy to store the stand folded up.
-always handy to have a repeat-cut stop, even though it isn't the best on this stand

Cons:
- outfeeds are not stable enough when working with heavy lumber. The offset 2 - pole design lets them rock back and forth. This can be compensated for by adjusting the support, but is a bit of a pain when you're ready to start cutting.
- outfeed support tops are not long enough, so narrow stock cannot be supported without clamping something longer to the top of the outfeed (may be different with different saws, but both my Makitas sit such that there's a 1" or so gap between the plane of the saw fence and the edge of the support.)

I think having a fixed miter saw stand is always going to be the most stable way to cut, however, it isn't always practical when bouncing from one job to the next. If I'm on a job for several weeks at a time, then I could justify building something, but I'd have to do it per job, since storage and transportation are going to be the 2 biggest detriments to that. I enjoy working out of a small pickup, and I don't want to bring a trailer if I don't need to, so portability of compactness are 2 of the biggest attributes.

A built - in tape measure is handy for rough, quick cuts, but I wouldn't trust it for doing finish/cabinetry work.

For my workshop miter saw stand I have an 8' outfeed table on the left, and a 4' on the right. I jigged up a "t" that I clamp to the edge of the table for repeat cuts. Having that repeatability is a definite must for me for any stand.